About

In January of 2008, I saw a movie written by a blogger turned screenwriter who just happened to graduate from the University of Iowa—about an hour from where I live. Less than two weeks later, inspired by that screenwriter (Diablo Cody) and the movie "Juno" based on her script, I began the blog "Screenwriting from Iowa."

Later that year "Screenwriting from Iowa" became the first screenwriting blog to win an Emmy in Advanced Media/Arts at the Upper Midwest Emmys Awards in Minneapolis. (Less than ten miles from where Cody wrote much of her Oscar-winning "Juno" script in a Starbucks located in Super Target store..)

The blog became a clearing house of sorts of the more than two decades of notes I had been compiling since film school and continued to add to over the years. And since Cody wrote the script in Robinsdale and Crystal, Minnesota, I saw an opportunity to encourage screenwriters writing in unlikely places. (And as I've said that could be West Des Moines, West Africa, or just east of the Hollywood sign in West Covina.)

Now after more than three and a half years of blog posts (1,000 as of this writing) much time and effort was taken to edit down more than 300,000 words into a 65,000 word book titled, "Screenwriting from Iowa...and Other Unlikely Places."

A structure has emerged to make the book user friendly and increase readability.

Now what is needed is the final stage to bring the writing to life in book form. Funding is needed for cover artwork, layout design, copyediting, basic legal council, minimal marketing, and a limited edition run.

While there are plenty of screenwriting books on the market, I think the unique perspective on this subject coming from outside L.A., the popularity of the blog, as well as the recent changes and affordability of digital cameras, all create a situation where this book can have a positive impact on the kinds of scripts are written. (And hopefully movies that a made.)

“For a more off-beat look at writing, the Screenwriting from Iowa blog provides screenwriters with a slightly removed take from the Hollywood norm. Scott Smith blogs about how people outside of Los Angeles can have their stories told and sold for production in TinselTown. It’s inspiring for those of us around the world who aspire to Hollywood magic without having to live in Hollywood itself.”

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $100 or more
About $100

Name mentioned on blog, personal thank you note, signed copy of "Screenwriting from Iowa" book, name mentioned in book as one of the key supporters, and print of "Kelley's Blues" 2010 concert poster by artist Gary Kelley and filmmaker on the project, Scott W. Smith.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $250 or more
About $250

Name mentioned on blog, personal thank you note, signed copy of "Screenwriting from Iowa" book, name mentioned in book, print of "Kelley's Blues" 2010 concert poster by artist Gary Kelley and filmmaker on the project, Scott W. Smith, choice of one of three original photographs by Scott W. Smith, mounted and signed.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

Name mentioned on blog, personal thank you note, signed copy of "Screenwriting from Iowa" book, name mentioned in book, print of "Kelley's Blues" 2010 concert poster by artist Gary Kelley and filmmaker on the project, Scott W. Smith, choice of one of three original photographs by Scott W. Smith, mounted and signed. Plus a remnant from Scott's L.A. days, a 24X32 limited edition (5,000) professionally framed serigraph artwork of Patrick Nagel's Commemorative Mirage Printed #5. (Purchased in 1986 and the only blond in the collection.) And a personal phone call.